My Favorite Orthodox Poetry


ANACREONTIC HYMN


From my lips in their defilement,
From my heart in its beguilement,
From my tongue which speaks not fair,
From my soul stained everywhere,
O my Jesus, take my prayer!
Spurn me not for all it says,
Not for words and not for ways,
Not for shamelessness endued!
Make me brave to speak my mood,
O my Jesus, as I would!
Or teach me, which I rather seek,
What to do and what to speak.

I have sinned more than she,
Who learning where to meet with Thee,
And bringing myrrh, the highest-priced,
Anointed bravely, from her knee,
Thy blessed feet accordingly,
My God, my Lord, my Christ!
As Thou saidest not 'Depart'
To that suppliant from her heart,
Scorn me not, O Word, that art
The gentlest one of all words said!
But give Thy feet to me instead
That tenderly I may them kiss
And clasp them close, and never miss
With over-dropping tears, as free
And precious as that myrrh could be,
T'anoint them bravely from my knee!
Wash me with Thy tears: draw nigh me,
That their salt may purify me.
Thou remit my sins who knowest
All the sinning to the lowest --
Knowest all my wounds, and seest
All the stripes Thyself decreest;
Yea, but knowest all my faith,


- by St. John of Damascus


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"What is Christ for the soul"


I am Father, I am brother, I am bridegroom,
I am dwelling place, I am food, I am raiment,
I am root, I am foundation, all whatsoever thou willest, I am.
Be thou in need of nothing, I will be even a servant, for
I came to minister, not to be ministered unto; I am friend,
and member, and head, and brother, and sister, and mother;
I am all; only cling thou closely. To me.
I was poor for thee, and a wanderer for thee, on the cross for thee,
in the tomb for thee, above I intercede for thee to the Father;
on earth I am come for thy sake am ambassador from my Father.
Thou art all things to me, brother, and joint heir, and friend, and member.
What wouldest thou more?

- by Saint John Chrysostom.

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O Christ come among men
as source of light,
Your ineffable birth
is before the beginning of time.
You are the radiant light shining with the Father.
You irradiate lusterless matter
and illumine the souls of the faithful.

You have created the world
and fixed the orbit of the stars;
You sustain the axis of the earth,
You save all mankind.
You guide the sun in its course
to light up all our days
and the crescent moon
which dispels the darkness of night.
You make the seed to sprout
preparing food for the flocks.
From your inexhaustible fount
You pour out the splendor of life
making fruitful the whole universe.

- by Synesius of Cyrene